Item: Trogyal Raksha Chidul

Trogyal Raksha Chidul of the Tulku Kyura tradition.

Chidul is wrathful in appearance, maroon in colour, male, with nine fearsome heads in a horizontal row. Above that are five green horse heads, three khyung (bird) heads and three peaceful heads at the top.

The preeminent teacher of the system of Chidul is Tagla Membar (not to be confused with the deity Tagla Membar). The principal treasure revealer was Tulku Kyura. He has eighteen hands with various attributes and embraces the consort Mu Le Tong Khyabma, red, with one face and two arms.

At the top center of the composition is Kuntu Zangpo Chidul, white and wrathful, embracing Satrig Ersang. Two rows of peaceful deities sit to the right and left sides. Slightly below on the left is an unidentified lay teacher - possibly Tulku Kyura. On the right side is a seated monastic figure wearing a Bon lotus hat. Although similar in appearance to the famous teacher Nyamme Sherab Gyaltsen the hand gestures are not typical for his iconography and there is no name inscription to confirm an identification.

At the sides of the central composition are two descending rows of eight wrathful deities embracing a consort, various in colour, holding a variety of hand attributes.

At the lower right and left sides are the Four Wrathful Ones of Wal (dbal). They are blue in colour, multi-headed and multi-armed and stand without a consort.

At the bottom center, right, and left are three protector deities. At the left is Tsengo Dragpa Gyaltsen

This painting can tentatively be identified on stylistic elements as originating in the Amdo Ngaba region of Norther Sichuan Province.

Jeff Watt 3-2022